The CHPL Foundation was honored to present a gift of $150,000 to the Town of Chapel Hill Public Library for improvements to the patio area.

Mayor Pam Hemminger, George Cianciolo, and Susan Brown received the check from Andy Gunning and Hollie Rose-Galli at the Town Council Business Meeting on February 13, 2017. This gift was made possible by the Cornelia Spencer Love Trust, a fund managed by the Library Foundation since 1999.

Andy Gunning, Board President, states, “CHPLF is excited to be partnering with the library to improve the outdoor patio space. We believe that these improvements will encourage people to take advantage of the beautiful outdoor space that is a part of our library. It’s exciting to see the library expand beyond the walls. The Foundation looks forward to working with the community to fund future library initiatives.”

Susan Brown, Director of the Library, commented, “Thanks to the Cornelia Spencer Love Trust and the Foundation’s management of it, we will be able to turn a currently underused space into a useful, useable, and desirable place for our community.”

Town of Chapel Hill’s Mayor Pam Hemminger remarked, “We are extremely grateful for all the Library Foundation continues to do to enhance the Chapel Hill Public Library. This latest gift will help make the library’s wonderful outdoor patio space more useable and welcoming for the entire community.”

The CHPL staff are currently exploring the best ways to outfit the patio space (e.g. tables, chairs, shade, lighting, and more) and are encouraging input from all who might use the space. To provide your input, please contact the library staff. The plan is to have the newly appointed space ready by mid-to-late summer. The CHPL Foundation will host a ribbon-cutting open to the community.

CHPLF’s mission is to provide financial support to enhance the capabilities, resources, and services of the Chapel Hill Public Library. Their vision is a world-class library with the means to adapt to the rapidly changing aspirations and needs of our community.

Members of the board and the Executive Director are available for comment and to provide further details about the Foundation. Photographs of previous projects and events are available.